Amputee&#39;s stump bandaging harness



May 1, 1962 J J. DEMPSEY AMPUTEE'S STUMP BANDAGING HARNESS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 28, 1959 E w NZ h M w y 1962 J. J. DEMPSEY 3,032,035

' AMPUTEE'S STUMP BANDAGING HARNESS Filed Aug. 28, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 John J- Dempsey INVENTOR.

Mm BY ym 19m age applying requirements.

Unite The present invention relates to a readily applicable and removable appliance which is expressly and properly made and constructed whereby a wearer of the same will find that even though he himself may not be skillful in the art of applying a bandage will nevertheless be able to do so on his own initiative and in a neat neat orderly manner without requiring, as is usually the case, the hands of a second person.

As will be evident from the preceding general statement of the nature of the concept herein under consideration, when an amputee is confronted with the necessity of periodically bandaging the stump of an amputated leg he almost invariably has to have a nurse, doctor or someone trained in handling bandages to do the job for him. At any rate, and up until the advent of the instant accomplishment no feasible Way or practical structural device or means has been devised for do-it-yourself band- It follows that the present invention has to do with a simple, practical and economical harness havingj novel holding, suspending, looping and tautening means which functions aptly and satisfactorily in systematically and reliably handling the self-bandaging requirements.

In carrying out a preferred embodiment of the invention a simple body embracing harness is utilized. This comprises a body encircling belt, a shoulder strap carried thereby, a pair of bandage holding, suspending, looping and tautening cleats and adjustable suspending straps by way of which the cleats are adjustably hung or suspended from the body encircling belt.

More specifically, novelty is predicated on a pair of complemental cleats or clips each comprising a plate having a plurality of spaced parallel fingers. The fingers are of varying lengths and they are so arranged that by properly pairing and suspending the cleats at diametrically opposite sides of the stump which is to be bandaged and wrapped the user may learn to do his own bandaging without aid or assistance from another person.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawing.

In the drawing, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a harness with bandaging means for use by an amputee and constructed in accordance with the invention and showing how the same may be used.

FIG, 2 is an enlarged View in section taken on the vertical line 2--2 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view detailing the first looping step While the user goes about the desired self-accomplishing bandaging result.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view also but based on FIG. 3 with parts omitted to clearly show the several A B C steps which are followed in holding and looping the bandaging material.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of one of the cleats employed to enable the user thereof to guidingly hold, suspend, loop and tauten the bandage in the manner depicted in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a double-purpose link embodied in the body encircling belt.

Referring now to the drawing the body encircling belt or strap is denoted by the numeral 8. It is supported in the desired hip-surrounding position by way of a single shoulder strap. 10. The rear end portion 12 of the shoulder strap is connected to a non-circular ring or link 14 embodied in the over-all body encircling strap or belt 8. The forward end portion 16'is likewise joined by a corresponding link 18 with the diametrically opposite forward part of the belt or strap 8. The median portions of the belt may be adjusted by way of suitably embodied buckles 20 as shown. One free end of the belt has a headed fastener or keeper 22 to accommodate the keeper portion of the clasp 24. The aforementioned cleats are identical in construction. A pair of cleats are employed and they are disposed at diametrically opposite sides of the stump which is to be bandaged and wrapped. Since the cleats are identical in construction it is believed that a description of one will suffice for both. To this end the cleat is denoted by the numeral 26 and it comprises a simple clip or plate having a body portion 28 carrying several spaced parallel fingers; a relatively short finger 30 having a slot 32 and a pair of companion or complemental longer fingers 34 and 36. The slot 32 serves to accommodate the lower buckleequipped end of an adjustable suspension strap 38. The suspension strap is supported from adjacent link 18 or 14 as the case may be. Thus simple adjustable suspension straps are linked to the belt, the belt is supported by a shoulder strap, and the suspension straps carry the cleats with their holding, suspending and tautening fingers.

These fingers have blunt but rounded free end portions making it convenient to Wrap or loop the bandage material back and forth in the manner illustrated and to provide the desired number of loops capable of facing and covering the stump in a satisfactory manner. As seen in FIG 3 one end of the first loop A is provided with a hem 40 which is hung on the lowermost finger 36 and then is carried to the left where it is draped or hung at 42 over the corresponding finger on the complemental cleat which conveniently in FIG. 3 is referred to by the numeral 44. Then the bandaging material is formed into a return bend 46 and it is passed back in the reverse direction to form a second loop B. This second reach or loop is then doubled or folded as at 4-8 and it is carried back in the direction of the arrow C to form the final reach or loop 50. The free end portion of the bandaging material is conveniently denoted at 52 and the unused roll at 54. It may be that one will want more than three loops to do the stump covering and bandaging job and of course this is a phase of the matter that is within the purview of the overall concept. After the thus ap: plied bandages are finally wrapped (not detailed) the fingers of the cleats may be freed and released then the entire harness may of course be removed inasmuch as it is necessary to use only when taking care of the one man task.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

I. For use by an amputee without the aid of a nurse, doctor or other assistant, a do-it-yourself type stump bandaging device comprising, in combination, a body encircling belt, a single inverted U-shaped shoulder strap the bight portion of which is adapted tobe saddled over oneshoulder, the lower end portions of said shoulder strap being operatively connected with front and rear portions of the body encircling belt, front and rear bandage applying and wrapping and retaining cleats, and means adjustably attaching the respective cleats to the body encircling belt at front and rear sides respectively of said belt, each cleat comprising a generally flat plate having a body portion carrying several spacedparallel fingers; namely, a relatively shortfinger having a slot to accommodate a buckle-equipped suspension strap carried by the body encircling belt, and-a pair of longer fingers having free outer end portions with rounded tips, the latter fingers serving to permit cooperating portions of the stump wrapping bandage to be retentively connected therewith.

2. For use by an amputee without the aid of a nurse, doctor or other assistant, a do-it-yourself type stump bandaging device comprising, in combination, a body encircling belt, a single inverted U-shaped shoulder strap the bight portion of which is adapted to be saddled overone shoulder, the lower end portions of said shoulder strap being operatively connected withfront and rear portions of the body encircling belt, front and rear bandage applying and wrapping and retaining cleats, and front and rear adjustable suspension straps having their up er ends joined to front and rear portions of said body encircling belt and depending from said belt, said front and rear bandage applying and wrapping and retaining cleats being connected to and carried by their respective front and rear suspension straps; each cleat embodying a plate having aplurality of spaced parallel coplanar rigid fingers joined at corresponding ends to a body portion of said plate and having opposite ends free and bluntly rounded.

3. A self-bandaging device for use by an amputee comprising an adjustable body encircling belt having front and rear portions and adapted to embrace the users-body at hip level, said belt being provided at said front portion with a rigid non-circular link, said belt being further provided at the rear portion with a corresponding rigid non-circular link, an adjustable shoulder strap, 's'aid shoulder strap having front and rear lower end portions secured to the respective links on said front and rear portions, vertically adjustable suspension straps having their upper ends joined to their respective links and depending from said links, and multiple-fingered cleats attached to and suspended from said suspension straps.

4. For use by an'arnputee without the aid of a nurse, doctor or other assistant, a do-it-yourself type stump bandaging appliance comprising, in combination, a body encircling belt having rigid non-circular links embodied therein, one link being situated at a front portion of the belt and the other link being situated at a rear portion of the belt, a single inverted U-shaped shoulder strap having a bight portion adapted to be saddled over the wearers shoulder and lower end portions secured to the front and rear links, respectively, front and rear "adjustable suspension straps connected at their upper ends to their respective front and rear links and depending therefrom, front and rear bandage applying, wrapping and retaining cleats attached to lower end portions of their respective front and rear suspension straps, each cleat embodying a plate having a plurality of spaced parallel coplanar rigid fingers joined at corresponding ends to a body portion and having opposite free ends.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 605,108 Lindsay June 7, 1898 778,127 Greenan Dec. 20, 1904 1,768,977 Ealy July 1, 1930 1,860,170 Bronson May 24, 1932 

